The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology estimates that 50 million people in the US suffer from nasal allergies. If you are one of them then it can be a struggle at times to breathe clearly. There are plenty of medicines out there that you can take to help alleviate the symptoms. Things like pollen, animal dander, dust, mold, and mildew are floating through the air constantly. There are things you can do at home that will help to create a better breathing environment for you and your family. On of the best things you can do to ease the allergies in your home is to have your furnace maintained each year. You should have your furnace maintained each fall before you use it for the winter. This will make sure it is clean and working the way it should. Your filter will be changed by the technician but you will want to make sure you change it each month to ensure it is doing the best at catching the particulates. An improperly maintained furnace can make the symptoms worse though. You can use a HEPA filter in your furnace. They are the best filters for capturing the allergens but if you use this you have to make sure to change them each month! They catch a lot of debris and can clog easily which can cause issues with your furnace if they clog. Installing a humidifier can help lessen the effects of allergies because it will make you more comfortable and fight dry skin in the winter. One last recommendation we have is to have your ducts cleaned and sanitized. The ducts are what deliver the air into your home and when they are dirty, they will circulate the dirt with it. Having your ducts sanitized will kill most of the viruses and bacteria that has grown and lived in your vents. Bartlett Heating and Air can maintain your furnace for you this fall and we also offer duct cleaning. Call us today to schedule your furnace and duct cleaning!